Test drive Mercedes Benz GL-class X164 2006-2009 SUV

Giant

Mercedes -Benz GL450 is a cozy cottage on wheels
 
The largest jeepotam reserve is located, as you know, in America. They are loved there, chole and cherish. Not only cool, but everyone who is not lazy, from housewives to rappers, ride there. Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Toyota Sequoia, Infiniti QX56 - all cannot be listed, and everyone is in demand, despite the lamentations of the high cost of gasoline. As the largest Mercedes will undoubtedly be in demand. Therefore, it is produced there, at the factory in Tuskaluz, Alabama. Where simultaneously, on the same platform, Mercedes ML and Mercedes R-class are collected.
In Russia, giants are also respected, and here they are perhaps even more necessary, given the roads and distances. The reasons why our country has not yet turned into the same reserve for them is obvious: modest income and high cost of goods, compared with overseas salaries and price tags for new cars. But even those few percent of the population who honestly or dishonestly have to get rich, enough that GL and we do not feel deprived of attention. Because, firstly, this is a Merce. Secondly, there are not many analogues of the model in our market. And thirdly (and in the main ones), in terms of the totality of qualities, it stands apart. Some can ride very quickly and delight with handling, others are able to knead dirt no worse than army all -terrain vehicles, others do not have a suspension, but perine, guaranteeing comfort. But so that all these properties, and in the optimal, as it seemed to me, proportions were combined in one huge car, this is a rarity. At the same time, for me, the question somehow disappeared by itself-why did the company need to parallel to produce ML-, R- and G-classes. They are not at all the same, and are designed, if you figure it out, for different audiences.
 
Above the crowd
 
I admit to you, reader, that I understand women worse than cars. Here I bring to the Mercedes GL450 an employee of the editorial office, whose car was stuck on the service, and the first thing I hear:
 
- Be my will, I would forbid the use of such machines in Moscow
 
“Are you uncomfortable, or are you afraid of something?”
 
“What are you, I am fine!” And I feel like in a tank - a chic tank! Everything around is like bees. But it is huge, takes too much space on the road, its other drivers are scared.
 
Well, what do you say? That our drivers are actually difficult to frighten, but for starters, you should (and for a long time!) Remove trucks? But the matter - I see in my eyes - not at all how much GL occupies. Perhaps she is just a pity that there is no one to bring her every day on such a car. Or she sympathizes with those who are deprived of the pleasure of moving in such conditions. After all, the car, as it turned out right there, was simply conquered with comfort, a sense of security and smoothness. I formulated well, as if written. What else - enjoy! Or is it necessary, not for an hour, but forever? Eh, women
 
As a driver, the dimensions were not at all embarrassed. The situation on the road from such a car is easier than from an ordinary passenger car: you are high, you can see everything in advance, huge burdocks of lateral mirrors have almost no dead zone. And you feel the true dimensions immediately, and even in a dense city stream you feel more than confident. And there is no need to be afraid of scorching - let them dodge. Just do not look too often in the salon mirror of the rear view - from habit, it may seem that the feed is lagging behind, it is very far away.
 
The main thing is that a huge seven -seater car is able to behave with the agility of a wild cat. It is controlled, we can say, impeccably, the steering has optimal settings that allow you to keep GL under full control in almost any situation. The steering wheel, of course, is not acute, as in sportsmen - this is just nothing to do with him, but she gives the driver enough information. And how the wheels turn out - they can be put almost perpendicular to the body! In my cramped garage cooperative when arriving in boxing is an invaluable quality.
 
As for the frightening species - this is only for the better, you will be more purpose. But we must clarify that the GL may not be alert that it is terrible, but by the fact that it is solid and appropriate to serious people. Perhaps I would not call him too beautiful, but I will never refuse him external attractiveness and precisely in solidity. Perhaps I even like a very unexpected combination of fun stamping on the hood, embossed sidewalls and chrome rims that are very unexpected for a car of such a rank. The front headlights, reminding me of the six hundred previous generation look quite appropriate on GL. Like the brilliant thresholds, and metal above the rear bumper - it is like that so that Makhin does not end suddenly, like an elephant without a tail. No, you can’t refuse the largest Mercedes in a certain elegance.
 
At the same time, we must admit that it is worth climbing into the salon and driving a dozen kilometers, as all the discussions about the exterior seem to their leisure time. GL gives a feeling of endless comfort, and coziness is not a city apartment, but a good country house. It has a lot of space, a lot of air, a lot of light. In the roof, by the way, is not one, but two hatches, so that passengers of the third row feel in the best way. Although they are already not constrained, the distance to the second row is 815 mm, and the space above the head is 979 mm. And if the third row (it has two full -fledged seats) is not needed, you just need to press a special button, and in its place an even floor is formed. If in the seven -seater version the luggage compartment itself is small - about two hundred liters in volume, then in five -seater its volume is already 1240 liters. But it can be brought to 2300 liters. In order to finish about the benefits for passengers, I will say that in the test car there was a DVD player, the screens are placed in the head restraints of the front seats. I can’t help but mention the Harman/Kardon musical system.
 
The driver’s place, from my point of view, is the embodiment of comfort. Although I personally, to be honest, still improve it by ordering multi -contouring front seats, with a blow of the sidewalls in corners and a massage function - enjoy the ride, so in full! But even without this, ergonomics are beyond praise. Firstly, almost everything is familiar with other Mercedes models, in particular, by the S-class. Unless an additional block with two round and large regulators appeared on the central console. The left heads the body level - it can be omitted or lifted to 307 mm above the ground, which will allow, for example, to overcome a 600 mm ford. The right round all allows you to select the mode of operation of the transmission. Between them - buttons of assistance systems when descending or lifting uphill.
 
A few words about finishing materials. Of course, they are high -quality and fitting the decor details is impeccable. I really liked that the front panel was covered with excellent skin, like the steering wheel and the sidewalls of the doors. I liked the inserts from a light untreated tree - they bring a special feeling of homeliness to the interior, or something. But he surprised the plastic on the same doors: it is harsh, too simple in texture, clearly not of expensive ones and is knocked out of the general style of the cabin.
 
However, in Mercedes GL you can not only live, but also go.
 
Just select the path
 
First of all, to the European market, including Russian, GL cars are supplied only with an off-road package Offroad-Pro, which the AI \u200b\u200bnot so long ago was talked about in the material about ML. This package significantly expands the possibilities of using the machine. It includes a 2-speed handful box with a lowering gear and 100 percent locks of the center differential and differential of the rear axle. And the Airmatic suspension is saying specially tuned for harsh off -road. In general, serious potential. I did not have to test him properly, and the weather was not the same, but even by the first impression I could hardly imagine a hole into which the GL could not climb. Yes, in the end, it is not easier to imagine the owner of a luxurious SUV that will climb to storm the swamp.
 
So far, I do not know for certain how GL behaves in the mud or snow - I think that it is adequate, but it is good on the asphalt. I already said about the steering, but I had to my liking and everything else. First of all, the motor. Having got acquainted with him in a luggage, I came to the conclusion that, perhaps, I would not pay extra for the five hundredth. Three hundred forty forces and a moment of 460 Nm, almost accessible from the bottom, is enough to not deny yourself anything. Acceleration to hundreds in seven and a little seconds on such a colossus - believe me, impressive. Moreover, the engine willingly spin thanks to the excellent algorithm of the 7-speed automatic transmission 7G-Tronic, as if the guessing desire of the driver. At high speeds, his well -fed roar penetrates the salon, increasing the pleasure of driving.
 
Speed? She is almost not felt. True, if you drive too fast, and even on an unloaded car, from time to time you have to catch GL, steering, to make sure - the car is still driving and not flying. Especially when the wind blows sideways. But still, this Mercedes will iron the track with proprietary confidence. And in my opinion, there can be no complaints about the air suspension. In addition, there is always the opportunity to choose a sports regime, in this case you seem to gain additional freedom of action, and, say, turns can be quite dashing. Although the cranes of the body completely, of course, do not disappear, and the ESP system always does not allow the driver on the alert and excessive pranks. You can’t turn it off - safety is above all! By the way, for the first time for cars of this class as an option, a preventive system for protecting Pre-Safe passengers is proposed.
 
The active nature of GL is also facilitated by the 4Matic - a constant all -wheel drive system. The distribution of power between the front and rear axle is 45/55. In the case of slipping, the free central differential directs most of the moment to the wheel, having the best adhesion to the road. In addition, 4Matic works in close cooperation with the same ESP that can brake the masking wheel. Let's try, of course, this system in the winter, but so far I have not had a single reason in it. Sometimes in the rain, at the entrance to a steep turn at a decent speed in the bowels of the transmission, something creaked, but the car behaved quite predictably. Demonstrating more excess rotation, but not wanting to go into a skid. However, a couple of times I nevertheless sought to have a slightly wagged gas in the right direction, and the car drew into a turn. A pleasant sensation!
 
Contingent
 
Everything is clear with the Americans, they have love for huge jeeps in the blood. And who can become the buyer of Mercedes GL in Russia? It is clear that wealthy people. And it is also clear that, first of all, those for whom ML is not enough, the R-class is not suitable, because it is deprived of off-road qualities, and the famous G-Vagen is too old and brutal. The owner of the GL may well be, for example, the head of a large family living in the suburbs. But it is even more likely that its owners will become oil workers, who, it seems, is needed by such a car - a large and powerful one, capable of overcoming a winter road and even drag a 3.5 -ton trailer behind him. And, most importantly, providing amazing comfort at any time of the year.
 
It remains to say that in the Russian market prices for Mercedes GL450 will start from a mark of 92,400 euros, at GL500 - at 105,900.
 
Text: Oleg Osipov
 
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 20 (109), 2006]